"Oh, now for the lions and tigers; it's about their feeding-time; it is great fun to see them eat," said Adelaide.
So she led her cousin into the house where the big lions and long sleek tigers were stalking about their cages. There was a general commotion among the animals, for they knew that it was dinner-time.
"There is the Black Panther. Isn't he a beauty? I believe he is the only one in captivity," said Mrs. Stamford.
"He looks like a big black pussy, and I would like to stroke his head," said Edith, as she admired the black beauty.
"You would never want to do it again," laughed Adelaide.
Just then the keepers came in with heaped-up baskets of raw meat. Such a noise, you never heard. Edith caught hold of her aunt as if she feared they would break through their iron cages.
After this they visited the birds and the monkeys, and lastly the house where the big snakes lived. Oh, such snakes!
"They are fascinating, but creepy," Adelaide said, as they watched the big boa-constrictors, such as you read about in "The Swiss Family Robinson"—yards and yards long, with wicked eyes.
The general impression is that children never get tired, but after these young people had partaken of their evening meal in the schoolroom, they were quite ready for bed.
The next day was Sunday, and, after a little later breakfast than usual, the two cousins, looking fresh and pretty in their delicate frocks and dainty flower-trimmed straw hats, each carrying a prayer-book, were ready to accompany Mrs. Stamford to church.